Sun and Moon (Jack x Ashi)
by raemarie3436
Summary: The collection of samurai Jack fanfic written by me, all new chapters will be published and send here. Anyway I hope you enjoy!
1. chapter 1

As Jack and Ashi are walking along the forest path from the samurai graveyard,as they walk, they reflect of what happened that day and think about what challenges they may face to recover Jack's sword.

Jack (pov)

" _I hope Ashi and I will have a better understanding now that she has converted from the evil that is aku",_

Jack pauses for a moment to stare back at Ashi, who appears to be in distant thought. Jack, who can't seem to not notice her new clothing and her hair, which, he complemented on after saving jack from commiting "seppuku".

" _Hmm, she reminds me of a fairy tale my mother once told me and..., wait, what am I thinking!, Im getting off focus! Tis strange, that has never happen to me before?, only with that incident in the palace with my father_ _in the palace and...Nevermind"._

Jack, now out of his thoughts, continued to look for a place where he and Ashi can rest for the night.

Ashi (pov)

" _I don't believe that the samurai would commit such a vicious act apon himself like that, as if his hope was drained like a well. Kind of reminds me about a time of training with my sisters, we were instructed to get in a circle, one of us would get in the middle, and pretend to be the prey, and the others would have to taunt you mercilessly and throw sticks at the person inside the circle..."_.

Ashi's flashback was interupted when Jack had told her that they we resting in a nearby clearing up ahead, and they would need a fire and some leaves to rest on.

The two, now have a fire set up, chat and talk about what are some of the things they encountered in their separate paths.

"Id just like to say thank you for saving my life today Ashi",

Jack's tells Ashi in a voice of graditude.

"Umm..., your welcome, I suppose,"

Ashi pauses then continued

"it was the least that I could do, after all, you did help me see the truth, and saved my life, twice"

Jack smiles, then bites into his meal.

Chapter 2

Jack and Ashi are now settling down for the night. The samurai gathers some dry leaves for their bedding, and ashi brings water to put out the fire. Jack then looks up at the sky and thinks about his mother and father.

Jack (pov)

" _I promise father, if the gods allow me, I will defeat aku, and return to the past once and for all."_

Jack then looks at Ashi, who is arranging the leaves into a bed shape. Ashi, now staring at Jack, asks him a question.

"Samurai, when we finally defeat aku, what will you do with yourself, or where will you go?", Ashi asked in a rather curious manner.

There is a short period of silence. Jack, at the time, had not planned on telling her until they did defeat aku, which, Jack had not planned on doing until Ashi had interrupted his "seppuku".

Jack then responds "I wasn't planning on telling you until that time had come."

"The original purpose of why I was sent to the future was because that in the past, Aku's tyranny was invading my father's lands. So I was sent out as a child around the world to train and defeat him, kind-...

"kinda like how I trained my whole life to defeat you?"

Ashi said while she had interrupted jack.

Jack nodded at Ashi, then continued his story.

"Anyway, when I had come back from my training, I was a young man, eager, but at the same time foolish for not listening to my father's advice about aku's tricks"

Jack then looks mournfully apon himself.

"The fight had been very rough, but I was persistent to defeat him. "before the final blow was struck with my sword, aku opened a time portal, and flung me into the future."

Ashi wanted to speak, but couldn't believe how misguided she was. She was taught that Jack was born from pure darkness, and wanted to destroy everything that aku had created.

Ashi then begins to speak "So, that's how you got here, and why you helped so many people, because not only was it your honor as a samurai, but you didn't want anyone to suffer like you had to".

Jack then nodded again. Ashi then continued to ask another question.

"So, how long have you been here?"

Jack, now looking up at the sky, answers her question.

"I have been here so long Ashi, it may not look like it, because when aku eliminated all the time portals for me to go back to the past, I stopped aging", but in total, I have been here 50 years. Fifty long years away from my people, my family, my home".

Ashi is now staring at the remorseful samurai's face. Ashi tried to understand the samurai's emotions, but growing up the way she did, she couldn't, because she grew up not knowing how to love, or understand, or show empathy toward anyone, before she changed her ways, she only knew of fighting and war, kill and destroy, and Aku.

"Jack, I had no idea, I was always taught that your life was like that. I was always taught that you were out to kill, and you were the one born of pure darkness and hate, I apologise for my misguidance"

Ashi tells the samurai, now feeling foolish for her actions. Jack then places his hand on her shoulder, then tells her...

"It is not your fault, it's the ruthless, misguided people who raised you, I'll admit, I thought you were a robot the way you were rambling as you were, but just like me, you were lost, but are finding your way".

Ashi then smiles and lays down to get some rest.

"Goodnight foolish samurai", Ashi says in a rather playful manor.

Jack smiles and lays in his bed of leaves peacefully.


	2. Sun and moon jack x ashi pt 2

After a nights rest in the clearing area, Jack finally wakes up and sees Ashi is not in her bed of leaves and has left her weapon on Jack's bedding.

" _I wonder why Ashi put her weapon besides **my** bed?" _ Jack pondered as he woke up.

As Jack stretches, he then hears the sound of water by the nearby river in the clearing. Jack then walks along the trait until the sound gets closer, then he reaches and open river where he examines the environment.

" _I remember this time as a boy of innocent and joy. My father and mother and I went on a trip to this garden in my homeland; Cherry blossoms and a nice Creek"_. Jack then continues to search around the river. There wasn't much around; some trees, a few animals for hunting, and a waterfall.

" _I_ _haven't_ _bathe_ _ever_ _since_ _my_ _battle_ _with_ _on_ _of_ _aku's_ _top_ _assassin_ , _Scaramouche_."

Jack then proceeds to check his surroundings to make sure he is not being watched. The coast is clear; Then Jack takes off his loincloth and steps into the water, which is about waste deep.

He then proceeds to wash himself thoroughly. He then looks around once more, only this time, he sees a mysterious figure by the water fall making suspicious movements. Without thinking Jack grabs a nearby knife (the same one he was stabbed with before he had accidentally killed one of the daughters of aku). He then gets closer, and closer to the mysterious figure. Jack then proceeds to say...

"Whoever you are, show yourself!" Jack says in a demanding manor.

He then into the wall of water that is the water fall. To much of Jack's surprise; it was a naked Ashi, who had been bathing by the waterfall also.

"JACK!, um...who...I mean...why are you here?!?!" Ashi exclaims in a frightened, yet curious manor.

"OOOH My Goodness!" Jack yells in a embarrassed and frightened expression

He then immediately jumps back where he accidentally trips on a wet stone, causing him to fall backwards into the water.

"Jack wait!" Ashi yells "it was just an accident" she says, now calmed down and in a gentle tone.

Jack then starts to blush, as if he knew that, but was ashamed to admit it.

"Ashi, I'm terribly sorry, I thought you were a spy or one of aku's minions, I feel terrible for this" Jack says In an apologetic, but humble manor

Jack then proceeds "It's just that, where I come from, looking at a women in the nude was considered disrespect and utterly rude".

Ashi, with a innocent smirk apon her face, then tells Jack "it's okay Jack, I don't mind, as long as it wasn't purposely, I'm fine with it"

Jack then returns to his regular colour, then stands up and stretches then smiles back at Ashi and says "thank you for understanding". Ashi smiles then continues with her bath.

Then walks back to the land, where he puts back on his loincloth and picks up his knife and places it in his hand, then walks back to the campsite to get ready to go hunting.

Chapter 4

By now, Jack is collecting his materials to make a bow and arrow. Then he drifts off in thought about what happened by the waterfall.

Jack (pov)

" _I don't believe what happened back there! I know she didn't mind, but it still feels wrong and inappropriate, I wonder what what my father would say about this?!?!"_

Then Jack comes out of thought, and sees a big enough stick to make a bow, and the string from a nearby spiders web with strong silk.

Back at the waterfall, ashi is done bathing, she then proceeds to put back on her clothing she had made of leaves and twigs. She, like Jack, thought about the incident at the waterfall.

" _I wonder why Jack was so nervous around me, even when I said that I was okay? But I was humble of him to think of my feeling like that, very respectful. I may not have noticed this but, Jack is very muscular and handsom-...wait!, what am I doing! he is my partner, and he saved my life, which, was very brave and selfless"_ Ashi then begins to blush sheepishly, then comes out of the waterfall walk toward land to find Jack.

When Ashi sees that the samurai is not here, she then walks down the trail to find him. As she walks down the trail, she starts to see Jack's footprints on the trail, she then follows them to lead to the samurai. As she walks along the path, she sees a beautiful aray of multicolored trees, being inside of her mother's lair her entire life, she would know of such things as that.

" _These are very beautiful trees, I remember once when I was a child, I was in the midst of training and there was a hole In the wall, I was peaking out of it enough to see an array of colors like this in the sky, like it is in there trees"_.

Ashi, unlike most of her other sisters, was the more observant one, and was always into nature; but because of her training and duties, she had no time to do so.

She then, after walking through a range of trees sees Jack, who looks like is hunting for some food for them to eat on there journey to find his sword, or at least so good to eat for tonight.

"Samurai?" Ashi says

Jack then sees Ashi then smiles and puts down his bow. "There you are" Jack says in an surprised, yet humble manor "I was just hunting for some food for tonight, and the journey we have ahead".

"Do you need any help?" Ashi asks politely

"Yes, as a matter of fact, do you know how to use a bow and arrow?" Jack asked as Ashi was about to grab her weapon.

"Well...um...not exactly" Ashi says nervously.

Jack, who is a little confused on why she doesn't know how to use one, despite her being able to hunt him down, thought she knew how to use a numerous amount of weapons, even ones as simple as a bow and arrow.

"If I may ask Ashi but, why don't you know how to use a bow and arrow, you claimed to be highly trained" Jack asks curiously, but yet respectfully.

Ashi's faces turns a little pink with embarrassment " I was never taught how".

She paused then continued,

"Me and my sisters were taught to act as a unit, and when a particular weapon was needed, one of us would use our assigned weapon, and that was the one we were taught to use".

Jack then understands as he went through a similar phase. Being stuck in the future taught him how to use a variety of weapons and gear, not just his magical katana.

"Don't worry Ashi, you don't have to use a bow for hunting, but in order to better yourself, you must learn how to use a large variety of weapons, not just the one you were taught to use. In fact I went through a similar phase when I first lost my sword", Jack explained to her calmly, reassuring her that it was okay.

Ashi then gives a small smile and says "I guess your right , but I would still like to learn how to use one, if it's okay with you" she says.

"Okay, I will show you how to use one, and it is quite simple actually" Jack reassures her.

Jack then shows her how to position her arms and aim for the target.

"Okay, that's good" Jack complements.

"I see a target, should I aim for it?" Ashi asks.

Ashi points to the large elk like creature in the forest near a tree. Jack then instructs Ashi to aim for the creature.

"Ready... aim...Fire!" Jack instructed

Ashi then releases the arrow, it flew about 45 meters before hitting the creature in the abdomen, killing it.

"Very good" Jack exclaims in affirmation. "Now we have our meal for the night, and maybe a week" Jack reassures her

Ashi, who on the inside is excited she caught their meal, and is even more excited that Jack is proud of her. She smiles and goes to pick up the game they caught and the two head back to the campsite to cook it.

Chapter 5

As Jack and Ashi are eating there meal, they talk about their day, and their journey they have ahead to recover Jack's sword.

"So Jack, about the waterfall today, were you nervous around me or something?" Ashi asks Jack out of the blue.

"It wasn't that I was nervous, it was just the fact that I've never seen a pretty lady like **that** before" Jack responds

Ashi starts to blush, as she had never been called that before, she'd only been called weak and distracted by her mother.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful Jack?" Ashi says innocently.

"Yes... I mean no!... I mean yes!, as in a friend-like sense" Jack studders out nervously, now sweating and blushing.

Ashi giggles to herself and then tells Jack "it's okay to like me Jack, and besides, the waterfall was just and accident you know" Ashi says.

Jack smiles and goes to get water to put out the fire, as he is getting the water, he thinks about what Ashi said " _Maybe Ashi was right, I was overreacting a little wasn't I , but she is a nice companion to have around on days like this"_ Jacksaysthinkingtohimselfsmilingtohimself.

He comes back to the clearing, noticing that ashi's bed of leaves is gone.

Ashi then tries to find some more leaves to make her leaves with, but they are nowhere to be seen.

"Jack, is it okay if I could sleep with you in your bed?" Ashi asks nervously

Jack, a little starstruck, sees that her bed is mysteriously gone.

"Um...isn't that... a little inappropriate?"

Jack says nervously once more.

"Jack, I promise, nothing... you know...like that or anything, I promise" Ashi says reassuring him that nothing will happen.

"Alright then, I trust you" Jack says with a gentle face.

Jack's moves over so there will be room for Ashi to sleep too.

"Goodnight Ashi", Jack says sweetly

"Goodnight Jack", Ashi says while wrapping one arm around his waste.

Jack couldn't resist, he turns around and kisses Ashi on her forehead. The too then hold on to each other for the night, they lay there peacefully.


	3. Sun and Moon (Jack x Ashi) pt 3

It is the afternoon after Jack was given his sword back to him and his kimoto. Jack and Ashi were walking down the trail into a nearby town, the two reflect reflect about what happened the night before.

Jack (pov)

" _I don't believe what happened last night, I mean, It was an accident, I didn't mean to kiss her like that! And the worst part I was going along with it. I mean yes, she is pretty, but her charm got the best of me, and yet, she still says it is alright, well, that is one of her best traits"_ Jack thought well meaningful

Jack then smiles to himself, now that he found his sword, and regained his honor, but thinks about what will happen to Ashi when Aku is defeated.

Ashi (pov)

" _I'm glad that the samurai got his sword back, I just hope I can explain to him that I put my arm around by **Accident** , but still, he was nice enough to kiss me assuming that if i **did** have feelings for him. But secretly I do, just in a partner-like sense". _

Ashi paused for a moment when Jack told her that they were stoping by a nearby village. Ashi hadn't been to a village before, and the ones she did go to were abandoned and filled with dead people.

Ashi and Jack stare at the village carefully to see if it is safe. Admittedly, Jack was very dubious about the village, not because it wasn't safe, but a a little **too** safe, like it is undercover, Ashi had the same feeling too.

"Well, I think I should keep my sword with me, just in case" Jack said quietly

"I agree" Ashi says pulling back her bow (which is the same one Jack gave here when she learned how to use it).

When they walk into the entrance, they were greeted by plenty of hellos and friendly wave, some of the people knew Jack based on legends they were told as children, but most believed that he was dead or had not been heard of in years.

They then stopped by a nearby tea shop, which looks similar to the one Jack was in in his journey to find is sword.

"Ohh, a tea shop, I haven't had tea in a while, why don't we stop for a while" Jack says gently

"I'm okay with that" Ashi responds

Jack and Ashi walk inside the tea shop. The scenery inside was cozy, it had a bar like counter in the midst of the store, and seats to where you could sit down. There was also a open floor area where guests could sit and talk.

They walk up to the counter where the man behind it is around mid aged and around Ashi's height.

"Welcome to the Jade tea shop, what can I get for the young couple today?" the man says with a warm smile

Jack and Ashi both blush at the fact that the man had gotten confused with the two being a "couple".

"Thank you for the compliment sir, but we are just partners" Jack responds Earnestly.

"Don't worry I understand you two, but you know, I maybe old, but I know when two people are made for each other" the old man says jokingly then winks at the two.

"Umm, well...I guess we should be ordering now" Jack says nervously while clearing his throat.

Ashi nodded her head in agreement, she wanted to speak, but the overwhelming of her emotions at this point were getting the best of her.

" _I wonder if the man meant what he said about me and the samurai. "Now that I think of it, I have been having some strange feelings toward him lately, it's like Everytime I'm around him or near him, my chest and heart rate speeds up, not to mention it is getting harder to speak around him"._

Ashi pondered in her thoughts for a while, she wanted to tell Jack the subject of one of her dreams the night before, but was afraid to tell him as she though it would lead to mistrust between them, or ruin their partnership.

Chapter 6

A waiter brought Ashi and Jack their tea as they sat cross legged on the floor (almost the same as in Jack's homeland).

"So...um Jack, is there anything you want to talk about?" Ashi says curious, but at the same time politely.

"Well, if I must tell you, I really liked your new outfit and clothing, but what made you change it in the first place?" Jack asks with a shy smile apon his face as he slowly sipped his tea.

"Well Jack, I think you may want to finish drinking your tea before I tell you this" Ashi says with a smirk on her face.

Jack, a little confused, finishes drinking his tea. Ashi then explains to Jack the cult process of burning, and how that wasn't a suit on her, but charred burned skin, Ashi also talked about the painful experience of getting that layer of burnt skin off of her.

When Ashi was finished, Jack almost felt as if he were going to be sick, he knew what Ashi was raised from, but burning your own children, to Jack, that was just plain malicious.

"So, you were naked this whole time up until the time that I was you in the grave yard!?!!" Jack says shocked.

Ashi nodded her head with a subtle smirk , who is simply amused by the samurai's reaction.

"Well Jack, In all fairness you have see me naked before, remember the waterfall? Ashi says playfully while sipping the last of her tea.

Jack then begins to turn tomato red again and sweat as tries to keep his calm around his companion.

I think we should be going now, it's getting late" Jack says as he returns to his normal colour.

Jack then asks the man at the counter if there is a hotel or a cabin where they could rest.

"Ohh, looking for a place to rest are you, well you two love birds will find the best of luck down a few buildings to the left that should do it" the old man says glancing at the two smiling warmly.

Jack and Ashi go about their way and thank the old man for the tea and leave out the way they came.

As they were walking down the street path in the evening sky, Ashi asks Jack a question.

"Jack...um is it alright if it tell you something?"

"Of course, what is it that you need to tell me" Jack says with a concerned but gentle expression, showing that he cares about how she feels.

"Well, the night before last, I had a dream, you and I were in a forest, but not just any forest, but it had very lush trees and the sun was very bright that day. I was sitting under one of the trees resting and you came up to me and sat besides me and asked my do I love you.

At this point, Ashi's face was turning red too, and her hands were clammy, Jack noticed this and started to hold Ashi's hand and says "Ashi, there is nothing to be afraid of about showing how you feel, just because you show your emotions, doesn't me you're weak, but makes you realize your fears and face them head on, I too had to learn this.

With Jack finishing, Ashi then pulls Jack in for a hug, which Jack embraces with her. As they embrace warmly, Jack's heart rate then speeds up, which Ashi hears, and then she places her head on Jack's chest and says the words she responds to Jack in her dream.

"Jack...I..I love you" Ashi tells Jack blissfully as they separate but still arm to arm.

"I love you too Ashi" Jack respond with a gentle look in his eyes glancing at hers too.

Jack then leans in for a kiss, which Ashi accepts, but is also surprised that Jack did it on the lips this time.

"Can I get one more?", Ashi asks mischievously.

"Maybe later on tonight", Jack responds with a tantalizing glare in his eyes with a gentle smile as they walk into the hotel with a big day ahead of them.


	4. Sun and Moon (Jack x Ashi) Pt 4

It had been a successful victory against the leech army, Ashi and Jack had escaped the ship, and Jack and Ashi shared a passionate kiss to celebrate their victory. They were in another hotel, Jack happened to be taking a shower at the moment washing off alien slime.

Jack and Ashi wanted to do something extra to celebrate. Personally, Ashi wanted to go somewhere private to do something simple, but Jack wanted to go somewhere that was open, but still had a bit of privacy.

Jack (pov)

" _Hmm, I wonder what I can do for Ashi that she and **I** could enjoy together?" "Maybe I could take here somewhere she hasn't gone, afterall, for most of her life, she had been seclude in a cult lair, Ill ask her where **she** wants to go, that way I would upset her in anyway."_

Jack pondered in his thoughts for a while more, until he heard a knock on the bathroom door. "Who is there" Jack says in a friendly, but joking tone because he knew who it was, it was Ashi.

"It's me Jack, could I come in with you...um, if you don't mind" Ashi says with red cheeks and a warm smile.

Jack wasn't surprised, afterall they did kiss twice, once yesterday, and once today after defeating the alien monsters.

"Of course you can, come on in" Jack says in an inviting way.

Ashi opens the door and comes in the bathroom, the bathroom had a sink when you walk in, with some lights above it, to the right there was a toilet (which Ashi had never seen or used), and to the left there was the shower, with Jack's head peaking out the curtain.

"Ashi, you look nice with my robe on, but could you please take it off" Jack says jokingly, but yet politely.

Ashi almost forgot she had it on, it was light and comfortable, even if it was a little big on her.

"Are you sure Jack, will it bother you that I'm in the shower with you?" Ashi says to Jack sacasticly, but well meaningful with a smirk on her face.

Jack's face still turns red, even though they are in a relationship, Jack was still shy around her.

Jack smiled and nodded his head reassuring Ashi that it was okay.Ashi then steps into the shower with Jack. The shower was large enough to where the two of them could both have space, but Jack (respectfully) turns the opposite direction to give Ashi her privacy.

As Jack a Ashi were scrubbing the slime off themselves, Jack asked Ashi the question he wanted to ask them earlier.

"Ashi, what do you want to do for right now, we won't be traveling anywhere nessasary for a few days, so I figured, why don't we do something special for one." Jack asks Ashi while still keeping his distance.

Ashi does something that really surprised Jack at the moment, she walked over to Jack and wrapped her arms around his waist area and says

"Jack, you don't have to do anything special for me, but if you could, could we just have a quiet even together alone, or at least do something together" Ashi says placing her head on Jack's wet chest and with her eyes closed with a smile".

Jack didn't exactly plan to get that response, but he didn't want to let her down, so he responds the best way he can. "Okay, I will do what I can" Jack responses trying to sound like he knew what he was doing.

While they were finishing bathing, Ashi too had something she wanted to do for Jack, but wasn't exactly sure what to do or how she was going to ask him, she'd have to think about it, in the meantime, she wanted to walk around a think about what to do for him. Soon she finishes bathing and tells Jack she needs some fresh air to think, Jack understands and they kiss. Ashi then walks out the shower with a towel and leaves the bathroom.

Outside the bathroom, Ashi thinks about what she could get for Jack that he would appreciate.

Ashi (pov)

" _If I were Jack, or a samurai as a matter of fact, what would I want? Jack has don't so many nice deeds and things for me, I don't know what to get him, after all he did save my life, and I saved his."_

Ashi, who is still working on thinking of an **appropriate** gift for Jack, cannot think of anything. She then has an idea " _I know"_ Ashi thinks enthusiastically _, "Jack likes his straw hats, so if I make him one, maybe that will be an appropriate gift for his, and maybe a kiss before bed, just as a bonus"_ Ashi though feeling excited to surprise him.

Ashi then checks the bed, seeing that she repaired her nature outfit, walks down the hall, getting ready to leave the hotel to find something.

Chapter 7

Ashi had made it down the stairs to the lobby of the hotel. It was a medium sized lobby, it had a sign in desk, a few chairs and a TV to make the waiting room, and above was a chandelier to add lighting. Ashi then sees the clerk, who is a old man around his mid sixties and had a beard similar to the one Jack had before he regained his honor.

"Where do you think your going lady!" the old man asks with a rude, demanding tone, as if he didn't care, but asked her anyway because it was his job.

Ashi, a little confused on why he was angry at her for leaving out the front door answers the man's question politely.

"I going to get something for a friend of mine, I'll be right back In a few minutes." Ashi responds, now getting frustrated.

The man looks at Ashi with a scowl like demeanor and says "No you ain't!, no one leaves this place without paying me first, not even for a few minutes, hell!, if you were a good woman, you would stay inside and serve the men!" the old man says, now staring at Ashi with a anger and malice glance on his face, then starts laughing maliciously at his deed.

Ashi, now furious at what the man just said, even more so that he offended her and laughed at it, grabbed her pocket knife (one that Jack also gave to her just in case of emergencies), and goes toward the desk and makes an outright face of anger, fury, and puts the knife up to the man's throat

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT ME!!!!!" Ashi might now set on ripping this man's head off, looks at him a mercyless scowl filled with hate.

But the old man doesn't take Ashi as a threat, but rather a joke and he starts to cackle.

"AHHAHHAHAHAHHA" the man pours out in a vague laugh. "Whatcha gonna do with that woman?!?, cut some roast beef, hahahaha!!!!"

Ashi, who is even more furious with anger than before, presses the knife harder near his throat, really getting close now. The old man is now ranting about how dumb she is for her actions and makes a malice smile, as if he as daring Ashi to do it.

She was just about to do it when a hand forces her to stop, it was Jack, who had been looking for Ashi after she left the room, heard all of what the old man had said, and was even more furious and angry than Ashi was. Ashi then drops the knife and looks at the man with hate a discuss.

Jack, would has grabbed the man by the shirt and has him in his hand hanging in the air. The old man's eyes looking apon Jack with utter fright, and is sweating with fear.

"If you ever, say such horrible things about women, especially the one I love or care about, I will slit you in half!" Jack says as he throws the man one the ground. Then Jack, with Ashi in his arms, leaves out the door, and doesn't even look back.

Outside Jack tries to comfort Ashi, who looks as if she is about to cry. Jack cannot help but feel her pain.

"Ashi, I'm deeply sorry you had to experience such hate and ignorance", he pauses, and sees that Ashi still had anger on her face and was still upset.

"I promise you, what that man said was not true!, **he** was the misguided one there, and you had a right to be angry at his words, but you cannot stay angry at him, it will just hold you back".

Jack gives Ashi a warm bear like hug to comfort her, which it works a little. Ashi then looks up at Jack's face and looks at him gently, then smiles at the fact that Jack cared enough to comfort her when she needed it, then she proceeds to get his a kiss on the lips, which Jack gladly accepts.

Jack and Ashi then look for a place to sleep for the night, but before they do, Jack asked Ashi a question.

"Is there anything I can do for you for right now?" Jack asks politely as the moon began to rise.

Ashi ponders this for a while, then comes up with an answer.

"I would love to know how to make one one those straw hats you wear."

Jack smiles and knows exactly how to make one her size, and respond " Great choice", then the two walk on into the night together.


	5. The inner battle of Ashi

In the state of mind of Ashi while she is under Aku's control, she and her own "conscience" are having their own battle. Ashi is trying to regain her inner mental control, but her conscience isn't helping her, better yet, is trying to make her loose her hope and control...

" _Just accept it you fool!, you lost!, aku has won and there is nothing we can do about it!"_ the conscience says, who is depicted as Ashi before her transformation from the cult with red, satanic eyes.

" _Quiet!, there is hope!, and Im trying to concentrate to get out of this trance that aku has me in",_ Ashi says in a meditation sitting stance (which she learned from Jack), with a solemn expression on her face.

" _Don't you mean your father!?!?"_ the conscience says with a satanic smile on its face.

" _If you just stop trying to fight it!, maybe we can just survive, and Serve aku!, who cares about the samurai, we told him to kill us!, he made his choice!"_ The conscience says now nearly yelling inside the mind.

" _Never!, Jack saved my life!, and I love him, and I refuse to abandon him!, I may not be able to see what is happening in their battle right now, but I must keep fighting!" Ashi says with a strenuous sound in her voice._

" _Your mother was right, you we always the weak one!, you may have been the strongest, but the weakest and most distracted!"_ the conscience stays as it starts to approach Ashi while she is in her cross legged meditation state.

With pure fury in its eyes, the conscience then starts to rant about how her life isn't worth it, and evil is in her DNA and should follow her parents path, Ashi continued to ignore it's comments, which angers the conscience. Out of nowhere, the conscience releases a Lazer like ball of fire and hit it directly at Ashi. Ashi awakens by the attack and stands up with a face filled with anger, fury, and discontent.

Then, Ashi realizes that that's not her conscience...

" _You_ _are_ _not_ _my_ _conscience_ , _but_ _a_ _demon_!" Ashi says, trying to keep her self control, because she remembers what Jack says about demons, they can sense your emotions and use them as weapons against you, as aku used that method to create "Mad Jack".

The creature then cackles with an evil inflection " _Hahahaha_!, your correct you _ignorant_ fool!, _Aku_ _sent me here to make sure that you don't escape your mind!, and Aku wouldn't want his precious daughter, and **only living** daughter to kill and destroy him!, Hahahaha!" _ the demon says in a manipulative, yet taunting manor which irritated Ashi.

Then the demon starts to lunge toward Ashi, but she deflects the attack with her arms and kicks it a few feet (but they are in the mind, so whatever they use) away. Sometimes the demon would surprise her with it teleporting behind her and knocking her out, but other times, Ashi was too fast for the demon to hit, and Ashi would fight back.

Ashi was at the point now where she felt she was about to explode and give up, which was the demons method of torturing her, but she had to remember to keep control. So she stands up, and speaks with a loud and demanding voice...

"I maybe apart of Aku, but that doesn't mean that I'm of aku!, and I refuse to deal with this hate, and descent of anyone!, I have learned more for myself than I ever have from my mother!, and I refuse to give up now and let evil prevail like it had in my life before I met Jack!, and right now, before I defeat aku, I must defeat you first!" Ashi says standing her ground and with a firm stance of confidence and willpower, which starts to frightened the demon a little.

With a screech in its voice, the demon then lunges town her once more, but Manges to hold Ashi down on the floor, and tries to choke her to death.

" _Any last words you worthless pile of #$#*?!#@!"_ The demon yells in Ashi's ear.

But Ashi was in a dream like state at the moment, it was white all around her and she didn't know where she was.

"Where am I ?" Ashi questioned

Chapter 8

Ashi looked up and saw a mysterious figure, she couldn't tell who or what it was, but Ashi could tell it was good.

The being looks at Ashi with a great pride and a smile on its face

" _Hello Ashi, it seems you had been proven worthy, just as Jack had been when he received his sword back"_ The being says to Ashi.

"Thank you but, where am I, and who are you, and how do you know my name?" Ashi questions politely.

" _You are not in a dream as you think you are, you are in the state between life and death, but it is not you time to go yet, I know who you are, and you are not Aku nor your Mother, for your heart is not filled with evil nor hate, but you are finding your way, and are getting pretty close"_ The being says.

Then the being along with two others, create a beam with their eyes and create a firery sword with a green handle and place it near Ashi at her feet.

" _This is the sword that will defeat the demon inside your mind, and **when** you escape aku's trap, you will use it it aid him in his final battle."_

The second being on the right then says

 _"You are worthy of this sword now because you fought until your last breathe to fight for Good, and you have been set apart from your parents because you have a purpose, and that is to help bring balance back to the world"._

Ashi smiles, as she realizes that she is making the right choices, and the right choice to follow and help Jack.

She then picks up the sword and bows in respect to the being as a thank you for choosing her. Then the three beings bring Ashi back into her mind, where the demon still has her on the ground.

" _Any last words you worthless pile of $#*!?!"_ The demon cries out.

Without a moment to loose, Ashi then kicks the demon off her and pins it to the ground,." _I vanquish you right now with all that is good and powerful!"_ resounds and says with the up most power.Then uses the sword that was given to her and stabs the demon in its chest.

With a loud bloody scream, the demon starts to break down and deteriorate, becoming nothing more than a pit of anti matter.

It was Over

Ashi's demon was defeated and her mind was no longer distracted by anything, so she could build up strength to fight the spell and get free

" _Don't worry Jack, I'm coming"_ Ashi thought as she was back in her meditation position building up her inner strength, she knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was determined, and that's all that mattered to her

Back in the real world, Aku had Jack's sword Cackling with an evil appeal. But what Aku didn't know is that Ashi had defeated the demon (which was apart of him), So when Ashi defeated the demon, she somehow weakened a bit of Aku.

Aku let's out a long groan "Ohhh, I don't feel so well" Aku complained.

Jack looked up at Aku and saw he wasn't feeling well. He didn't know it, but he could sense that Ashi was behind that minor sickness in aku, a sign that she was fighting back.

" _That's my Ashi"_ Jack thought to himself with a subtle smirk on his face.


	6. Jacks propasal

As Jack leads Ashi up the hill to an open grass field. Today was the day Jack had been waiting for since Jack and Ashi had kissed, but he never though about doing it until the two of them defeated Aku, and when he got up to the top of the mountain he would ask her...

 ** _Flashback_**

Jack had made the final blow at Aku, and as he was deteriorating into an dark blob of nothingness, Jack had saw Ashi return back to her normal form, but She had a gaping, bloody mark on near her chest that bleed though her sweater. When Ashi felt this, She let out a cry of agony, and she then conlasped onto the ground.

Jack, hearing her outcry runs to save her.

"Ashi!" Jack yelled as he ran toward her and realised what he had done. Suddenly, the Scottsman appears, with a face of empathy on his ghostly face.

"Eie me lad, what happened to ye wee lady right here?" the Scottsman questioned

Jack glances up at the Scottsman with a depressed expression, and answers him solemnly...

"Aku corrupted her body to try to kill me, but she was connected to him since she was Aku's daughter." Jack paused for a moment to look at Ashi's solemn and lifeless face, which he feels as if he is about to cry.

"So, when I impaled Aku with my sword, it also impaled her too, but the sword can only harm evil, and Ashi was anything but..." Jack says utterly confused, then puts his hand over his face in remorse, tears streaming over his face.

Scottsman looks down with sadness at his friends lost of his beloved partner and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I'll leave yee to rest me lad" the Scottsman says as he helps the others clear the rubble from the explosion.

Jack, kneeling on his Knees thinks to himself what life would had been like if she were still here with him. He holds Ashi's cold hand and thinks... " _I would give anything to have her back on my side"_ Jack though as his tears shed down his face.

As he was about to leave, he notices something behind Ashi's back. He glanced at it to see what it was. It almost looked as if it were a burning rock, but no heat came from it. He lifts her body slightly to see a sword, but not just any sword, it was the firery red sword with the green handle that the gods had given her in her fight between her and the demon that Aku place into het mind.

Jack didn't know what it was or what it was for. "This can't be my sword, my sword is in its placing" Jack says aloud.

Just then, the sword let's out a sun bright glow, so bright that the whole lair starts to brighten up. Jack squints his eyes to see what is happening.

Then, a reddish-orange light beam blasts and surrounds Ashi. Jack looks with a flabbergasted expression... the sword was healing her wound. With all the brightness, the Scottsman and three of his daughters come toward Jack's location to see the event take place in astonishment.

The sword then stops glowing and starts to turn into a glowing red dust, all except the green handle (now Jack realises, is made of emerald). Jack then places his head on her chest, he hears a heart beat, then another, then another. Jack is then overcome with a sense of pure joy and happiness, and tears.

"It is a miracle!" Jack exclaimed " She is alive!". Just then Ashi's eyes starts to slowly open and then blink.

"She's coming!" one of Scottsman's daughters says.

Ashi then fully opens her eyes and Looks at Jack with a full smile.

"Jack?...is that you?"

Jack pick her up and gives her and embracing hug, in which Ashi gladly excepts back with a passionate kiss.

Scottsman Applaused as the two embrace and his daughters smile.

"That's me boy!" The Scottsman yells with excitement and a ghostly laugh.

Jack then helps Ashi up as the two walk outside the lair, holding hands, they see an entire crowd of people and friend that Jack had helped and known over his fiffty year journey. The sun was bright that day and when the wind blew, he could somehow feel his father's spirit, and it was telling Jack " _well done son, well done"._ Jack, with his arm around Ashi's waist as they kiss again, and the crowd cheered...

 ** _End of flashback..._**

Jack covers Ashi's eyes as he leads her up the hill. "Where are we going? " Ashi asks with excitement in her voice.

"You'll just have to see", Jack says taunting her excitement with mysterious tone in his voice.

They make it up the hill, and Jack leads Ashi to a green field filled with colorful butterflies and an assortment of flowers. As Jack takes his hands of of her eyes, she looks apon the field with astonishment and wonder.

"Jack...this place...its beautiful!" Ashi exclaimed.

Jack gives a hearty smile "Thank you, I knew you would love it"

As they walk along, they see four tall pillars, with a natural vine roof at the top. They walk into it and they both sit down.

"Ashi, I brought you on top of this hill not only for the scenery, but because...um...well..."

Jack paused, but then continued, as his face was starting to change colour

"I used to come up here when I was a boy, I too, was astonished by the scenery." "So, I made a promise to myself that if I ever go married, I would bring my wife up here to this place"

Then Jack got down on one knee and looked up at Ashi.

Ashi, wasn't surprised, bit smiled any way and started to blush. "Jack, are you asking me t-"

"Yes Ashi I am" Jack said, cutting her off in the middle. He then pull out from under his GI, the last piece of the sword handle that the gods had given her, now crafted into a ring shape.

And with a nervous, yet cheerful gleam in his eye, he asked Ashi the question he wanted to ask her before...

"Ashi, will you marry me, Hiroto Jack?"

Ashi, speechless, does a confident nod, as she was so excited she couldn't speak.

Jack picks her up off the ground and hugs her tightly and spins her around. They head back to the village to tell Jack's parents the wonderful news. Jack's mother and father over joyed as they told the whole kingdom...

 ** _But, as fate would have it, when Ashi walked down the aisle and collasped, as she sacrificed her life to get Jack back to the past, she then fades out of existence...OR DOES SHE?!!!?_**

 ** _You see, she is alive ohh yes, but not In Jack's world, the gods allowed her to live, but in the spirit world, and she may come to Jack's aid whenever needed.._**

 ** _But that's a story for another day..._**

 ** _THE END : )_**


	7. Ashi's spirit days

It would never be the same for Ashi after today, yes, she was glad to be alive, but her beloved Jack would mourn her loss and crave her being by her side, and the worst part was, since she was a spirit now, she could feel others emotions even more than ever before, which was good and Also torture.

When Ashi first entered the spirit world, she didn't exactly know what to expect (since she was never taught such things). But when she entered, it was marvelous, there was beautiful scenery and many sights in nature that even the most beautiful on earth couldn't even compare to, and the water, it was as if it were made of liquid glass. Ashi continued to walk through the place in awe, she sees a servant, who leads Ashi to her new "House". They walk up into a mountain where they pass many sights, including a village of people, everyone seemed happy and joyful and no one seemed down or disappointed.

When Ashi did pass by them though, they waved to her and knew **_exactly_** who she was and how she got here.

" _Hey_ , _I_ _know_ _you_ , _your_ _the_ _one_ _how_ _helped_ _Jack_ _defeat_ _aku_! _we_ _are_ _so_ _proud_ _of_ _you_!" many of them would say as they patted Ashi on the back or or bowed in respect.

"Thank you, but why...or how do you know about Aku?, my timeline was erased" Ashi answered with graduate but also with a tone of confusion.

The others could understand her confusion, but this is the first time this question was asked to them, but they had an answer

" _Well ma'am, this is the spirit world, there is no time here, that's why we're thousands of years old, but we still haven't aged, were immortal now, and anything that happened in the mortal world doesn't apply to here, so, you exist here"_ The lady said with a warm smile.

"Thank you um...what's your name?" Ashi asked

" _Just_ _call_ _me_ _Mulan_ , and this is my husband, Shang" the lady says as her husband shakes her hand " _It is a pleasure to meet you"_ Shang says as he bows with respect. Ashi admired the too as they were humble and seemed very nice, which also made her sad because thats how she wanted Jack and her to be.

"I'd better get going, it was nice to meet you" Ashi says waving back, the couple waves back also, then proceeded to walk up the mountain.

The guide and Ashi made it up the mountain to see a japenese style cottage on the hill. It was very nice, it had sliding doors and a meditation room inside, with a fire place in the center, it also had a dining table with a bowl of fruit, but what Ashi was trying to figure out is how did **they** know this was the exact house she wanted ever since she helped Jack defeat aku.

"No need to be in shock madam, we've been preparing for you for quite some time now, it there anything else you need right now?" the guide asked as her as her was about to leave.

"What?...ohh.. I mean... no thanks" Ashi answered sheepishly.

" _Very well then"_ guide says, then he dissappeard.

Ashi was now alone, she then continued to tour the cottage, she walked to what seemed like a backyard like environment, it had a Zen garden with a nice pond (with koi fish in it). There were also two chairs, one with Ashi's name on it, and one with the name "Hiroto" on it.

" _Hiroto, I've heard that name before?, but where"_ Ashi thought as she pondered for a moment.

Then out of the blue, she remembers, it was Jack's real name, she remembered it from where he had proposed to her. Ashi was in tears of joy. " _Could this mean I see Jack again?"_ Ashi thought, but it was a retorical question, she **knew** she would see Jack again, but until that day, she had to be strong and wait patiently.

She then continued around the home, then she got to the bedroom, there were candles in the corners of the room, which she prefers better than electric since it seemed more natural.

There was king sized bed big enough for two people (meaning her theory was correct). Then there was a television with a remote, Ashi picked up the remote and turned the television on, and what she say really surprised her.

Apparently, when she turned it on, she could see Jack, he was standing under a cherry blossom tree and was looking apon the land where he released a ladybug from his hand. So not only could she **_feel_** Jack, but see him too, this all was very overwhelming to her as she didn't know what to think.

"If only there was a way to actually be **with** him" she said aloud.

Then she walks then to the meditation area, it was a typical one, it had a matt and a quiet atmosphere, with some of the candles from earlier.

" _I_ _wonder?"_ Ashi thought as she started to sit down in a cross legged style on the matt then thought to her self, she figured if it helped her defeat the demon that was in her mind, then it would help her reach Jack somehow.

Then, she closed her eyes and thought. Then all of a sudden, she could she the sky and the area's around her move around vigorously (kinda like Jack when he was trying to retrieving his sword), the was confusing to Ashi, but Interested her also as she wanted to know what would happen, then, it stopped.

She opened her eyes and saw that she was still a spirit, but not in the spirit world. She was on a balcony like open window. Then she turned around to see where she was. It looked like a palace of some sort, then there were some sliding doors, so she walked forward and opened the door.

And to her pleasant surprise it was Jack, sleeping in his bed. Ashi didn't believe it at first, but she had transported back to earth through meditation. The thought brought Ashi to tears, as she could visit Jack when he needed him.

She then called out his name to see if she would hear her...

"Jack?, it's me Ashi!" Ashi whispered with a warm expression.

Jack, weary eyed, wakes up and sees her, he wipes his eyes to make sure he is seeing what he was seeing. Then jumps out of his bed and they share a warm embrace

"I missed you" Jack exclaimed, tears running down his face...


	8. The reason for your Name

**_Authors Note_**

 _This story/chapter is a crossover with another fanfic I'm writing : "Samurai Raina: Jack's next generation". You can check it out if you'd like, but this was just to clarify any confusion on some of the characters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and plz like and review_.

 ** _Now_** **_onto_** **_the_** **_story_**...

"Papa!" Raina called as she was frightened of something in her room on the floor.

Jack hears the cry of his adopted, curly haired, hazel eyed daughter, worried, he runs down the hallway to see what was wrong.

He flings the door open with a face of utter concern and fright...

"Raina, is everything okay?" Jack says as he runs over to her with concern.

"There's something on the floor trying to get me!, papa I'm scared!" Raina exclaims holding on to Jack's GI.

"Don't be little one, let's see what it is first" Jack said with his voice and heart rate going down.

Jack then grabs the candle on Raina's nightstand and looks around the room for the creature that frightened Raina, Raina is on his back holding on to him.

Suddenly a creature scurried on the floor. Jack then gets close to the floor, then begins to tap the floor rapidly. The creature starts to come close to the light and comes close to Jack. When the creature comes to the light and is revealed to be...a mouse.

Jack picks in up and shows it to Raina, who quicky picks it up herself and starts to pet it.

"You see Raina, it wasn't a Scary monster, I was just a common Mouse" Jack said reassuring her that it was okay as He patted her on the head.

"Okay, for a second I thought it was Aku" Raina says as she continues to pet the mouse.

Jack couldn't help but laugh " Raina, I promise, Aku will never plague our lands ever again, now, let's take our little friend back outside, as it seems she is lost.

Okay, come on mousey" Raina says as the mouse squeaked at her back.

They then head for the entrance of the palace to let the mouse outside. But when they opened the door, it was raining outside.

Raina tried to let it out, the mouse ran back to her hands, obviously frightened by the rain. While they were waiting for the rain to stop, Raina asked a curious question...

"Papa, why did you name me _Raina"_ Raina said as she looked up at Jack with a curious face.

Jack smiled, as he had been waiting for the day that she asked him that question, and hopefully she will understand why he did name her that.

"Well, Raina, that requires a story I would like to tell you, would you like to hear it?" Jack says as he holds the mouse in his hand...

"Would you like to hear it too little mouse?" Jack says smiling at the mouse. The mouse squeaked back at him.

Raina and the mouse sat together to listen to the story...

"Once apon a time, there were seven little girls born into the world. The mother was very evil and worked for Aku, and she was mean and wicked to her children, they were raised to fight and kill. But there was one little girl out of her sisters who was very curious and not as ruthless as her sisters though, her name was Ashi".

"One day, when her and her sisters were all grown up, their mother told her go kill a man that had helped people over the years, so her and her sisters had went out to find him like their mother instructed them."

"It takes them days to find the man that they we looking for, but they did eventually find him. They were ready to defeat them, but before they could, the man gave them a choice; to leave now, or to face your destiny. But the girls chose to defeat them, but failed, except Ashi, she was the only one that survived but was still showing hate toward the man who had helped so many people."

"So the man showed her what evil truly was and why she had to change. The girl releases this, and started to be good. They had many travels and had fun along the way, eventually, they fall in love, and share a kiss."

"Eww, did they really kiss?" Raina says making a face of discust.

Jack blushes and smirks "Yes they do little one"

"They then find out that they must defeat Aku in order to defeat and save the world. They make it to Aku, and the two are trapped by aku In his lair. But then, all of the man's friend whom he had helped over the years, had come to save him."

"Yay!" Raina exclaimed, and the mouse ran in circles to show it was happy too.

"The battle was rough, but they ended up defeating him, and the Man and the Ashi were about to marry when..."

Jack paused, as he didn't like to recall this memory, as it was very sad for him.

"When what papa?" Raina asked with a face of concern, she could tell that he was upset about something, the mouse looked up at Jack too.

"She went away, or passed away as you would say", Jack said with a downtrodden Expression.

Raina looked with a shocked expression, the mouse hid in Raina's pocket, with its tiny head sticking out.

"Is she okay though?" Raina asked as she was now feeling sad also.

Jack expression then changed as he looked up to the sky, and it reminds him of the hope Ashi gave him.

"Yes, yes she is, in fact, she is alive, but she is in a better place now, and lives peacefully for her bravery" Jack says as he placed one hand on her shoulder.

Raina and the mouse look at Jack with a more hopeful expression. Jack then continued...

"The reason why I gave you the name Raina is because, just like you were sad when I told you that Ashi was gone, I was sad too, but when you were a baby and I saw you, you gave me hope, like a summers rain on a hot day, and not to mention, in another language, your name means "Queen", not to mention you have her eyes." Jack says with a proud expression.

"Was she a pretty lady papa?" Raina asked with a joking look on her face.

"Yes, yes she was little one, just like you" Jack said as he gave Raina a Hug, even the mouse joins in.

Then Raina looked outside the door and noticed something, it stopped raining.

Jack saw this too, then Raina knew it was time for her mouse friend to go back with her family.

"Goodbye mousey, thanks for being a good mouse and for listening to papa's story, I'm sure your mommy and daddy miss you" Raina said as she let the mouse go, but before the mouse left, it came back to Raina and nuzzled her on the cheek, then squeaked a goodbye at Jack, Jack waved goodbye to it, then it scurried off into the night.

Jack and Raina then walk back to her room where Jack tucks her back in and kisses her on her forehead. Raina yawns then said something to her father before he leaves...

"One day, I want to meet the lady you were talking about in your story, but she's gone, so how will I meet her?" Raina asked .

Jack, who was a bit tired himself, answer Raina with a simple response and reassurance and hope.

"I think you will get to meet her very soon little one" Jack said as he winked at her, then says goodnight to her and leaves the room.

Raina then dozed off. But, a few hours later, there was a large gust of wind in Raina's room, then in the middle of the room, was Ashi in spirit form.

Raina was startled at first, but then calmed down and asked...

"Who are you?"

" _I'm Ashi, your papa's friend from the story he told you"_ Ashi said with a warm smile.

Raina smiles sheepishly, then replys...

"Hi Ashi, my name is Raina"...


	9. The lady bug garden

_**Authors Note**_

 _Well, a two parter, never thought I wound do this, but I did. But don't worry, I just like to watch you all worry in angst and nervousness. Shout out to **Invader Johnny**_ _, thx for your support and help with this story, anyway, I hope you enjoy, and like always, plz like and review, thx again._

 _ **Now onto the story...**_

It was a sunny day in the village, and Jack was doing his usual prince/samurai duties of watching and protecting the people who where in it, with his Katana by his waist.

He looked around and saw many smiling faces, they had new hope and purpose now that Aku was gone.

But, with all the peace it the world, there was also bad. Since aku's tyranny and influence had plagued his people for so long, many people were not _"really_ " ready to go back to being civilized people. There had also been rumors of people who where still loyal to Aku, even though he was gone and dead, this saddened Jack greatly.

So as Jack glanced around at his people, he mostly found good things such as children playing and shops and businesses open. But then everything changed when Jack hear a desperate plea of help...

"Help!...help me please!" a loud voice and scream coming from and eastern direction, but it was then matched by the sound of choking.

""Quite you worthless women!, I told you never to plant the carrots here, but since you did, your now gonna pay!" A voice said with a furious, almost purposely meant to draw fear into the person they were yelling at.

Jack then heard enough, he then ran closer to the confusion and yelling. When he did arrive, it was at an old garden with a bamboo fence around it, and a house, which looked like it hadn't been dusted in months with spider webs big and small around it. There Jack saw one of the most horrific sights he had ever seen...The man was strangling his own wife...

"Since you didn't obey orders!...you must go!" The man said as he scowled at her with his hands around his throat.

Jack's emotions were now in full force and power. The rage he felt when hurting a man is one thing, but a women just for the sake of a veggatable? Jack was beyond mad, even his insanity from when he was in the future couldn't match this.

Jack then runs over to the man and immediately gives him a sock in the face with a punch, his eyes filled with fury, he continued to punch and lift him off the ground and slam him down. When Jack was finished with him, the man was covered in blood in the face and around the arms and was cursing in all sorts of ways that cannot be accounted by writing, and the wife just looked in shock and fear.

Jack looks down at the man with a grimace expression of discuss. He then lifts him up by the shirt collar and says to him directly...

"How dare you do something so evil, so malice, so disrespectful!" Jack yelled as he put him down. The man, now sweating and red in the face with embarrassment..."W-well y-you see..she didn't plant the-"

"And that gives you the right to strangle her!" Jack says with a furious expression.

The man then stands up and dusted himself off with one eye still bleeding, then looked at Jack with a scowl in his eyes when he realized who Jack was.

"So what do you care prince Hiroto!, but don't think this will change anything samurai!, I'll be back and kill you...BOTH OF YOU!" He said as he pointed his arms at both of them. Then he jumped over the fence and ran into the forest area, by this time, he was too quick to catch up with.

Jack looked at the women, who was on her knees crying with her hands on her face. Jack goes over and comforts her...

"There, there, I promise you that you husband will not come back and hurt you, and if he does, me and the soldiers will come and take him away" Jack said as he came to comfort her.

She had medium length brownish black hair, and she looked around her mid thirties, but her stress could be shown in her eyes and grayness of her hair.

The women looked up at Jack with eyes of despair and sorrow...

"Ohh prince Hiroto, you don't understand. That wasn't my husband, they kill him because he owed them money, so when they did kill him, they left it to me to pay it instead. The man you saw was one of the men working under him, they are a gang of men they entitled themselves as..."The Aku loyalists".

The women finished with the story and looked around at her crops, they were either all taken and yanked out of the ground, or seeds budding, but most were destroyed.

Jack looked at the women sympathetically, it remained him of when Ashi was corrupted by Aku and was using her against her will, it was something he could relate to her struggle.

"Don't worry Ma'am, we will find this gang and stop their tyranny on our people" Jack said as he looked out in the forest, seeing if the man had come back.

He then stood up and was about to leave to send a search party, but then looked on the ground to see hundreds of seedlings on the ground and soil. He then looks at the women and looks with concern.

" _I feel sorry for her, her husband is dead and has no one to help her"_ Jack pondered for a moment. Then Jack had made up his mind, he was going to help the women resolve her problem, by helping her replant her garden.

Jack turned around and walked back up to the women..."You seem to need help with your garden, is it okay if I help you" Jack asked politely as he held on hand out to help her up.

The women looked at Jack confused, no one very asked to help her before except her husband, so with a mildly grateful expression, she accepted.

Many people though, had seen the incident happen before and passed by, thinking there was nothing they could do about it. So as you can imagine, it was a shock when Jack ran over to help her and run the man off.

She stood up, and dusted off her clothes and got to work. She then told him how and what to plant where. She then gave him some beetroot seeds and they started to plant them. While they were working, many people passed by and were curious why the prince would help a women plant seeds in her garden when he could be doing something else, so many came over and asked. Jack then explained her story to them, after that, they would join the two and help them.

Before you knew it, there were about 12 other people working in the garden helping them. Many came over to the women and we're sorry that the event had happened to her, which put a smile on the women's face, she never felt this excepted since her husband and her got married.

They worked very hard that day, until the evening was apon them. By that time, someone announced that the last seed was planted in the ground, they then all cheered, and the women was soaking in tears of joy, as her fellow village people had helped her, and she thanked everyone for their help.

But in the midst of the cheering, danger approached then. Jack looked forward then woods and saw torches, many torches, about 25 of them.

Then came out the woods, a ground of men in tree bark masks came toward the garden. The men then lined up in two columns, and in between the columns of men, their leader came out with a jack knife in his hands.

It was a large, muscular man with brown monk robe on him. He looked around and saw the group of people that were in the garden, then asked a question with the up most anger and fury in his voice...

"Where's the women... WHERE IS SHE!" the man's voice boomed, which scared the village people.

Instead of the women coming out of the crowd of people in the garden, Jack did, and this time, had his Katana out, ready to defend his people if needed.

The man in the monk robe took **_one_** look at Jack and knew who he was and what he did.

"YOU!, YOU are the one that killed master and beat up one of us! Now prince Hiroto aka SAMURAI JACK, and come fight me like a man!" The man said as he had his fist clenched up and ready to fight.

Jack saw the man's motives and Immediately put his sword in the air and said...

"I'm giving you a choice now!...leave her

and live, or stay and face your desti-"

"SHUT UP!" One of the men in the columns said as he cut Jack off.

Jack bowed his head slightly "Very Well then, you've chosen your path, now you shall face the consequences".

The men with the torches then walk forward toward the garden. While they were marching toward them though, Jack had an idea, he then whispered the plan to the group that were in the garden, then they agreed and got in position.

The group got very close together and left the women in the middle, when they got close enough together, they got close enough to the point where they could sneak the women away into another house into the village.

Then Jack gave the.signal "Three...two...one...Now!", then two of the strongest men from the garden group lunged forward and tackled one of the two men with the torches on the ground, and from there, the torches lit the grass around them on fire, but it wasn't over yet.

Jack then runs toward the leader **_without_** his sword, the leader is shocked by this, but continued anyway. The.man rips a bit of Jack's GI off, but Jack manages to trip the leader up and he falls on his face. The man looks at Jack with anger and defeat and screams...

"What are you waiting for, KILL ME!" the man screamed as he shouted with discuss.

Jack looked at the man and saw nothing but hurt and pain in his eyes, so, he decided to help him up. But then the man struck him again, only this time, he punched Jack in the face and he was then flung into the fire that was in the grass.

All Jack could remember, were the screams of his fellow people, and then it all went white...


	10. The ladybug garden (pt 2)

Jack looked up around near his surroundings. There were embers and charred grass from the fire that was from the torches. He looked down at himself and saw a few burns and bruises, but he had experienced worst.

He stood up, a little shaken from the incident that occurred. Jack looked around and realized...no one was there. All the people that were in the garden and the women that the gang were looking for where gone.

"They were captured" a voice said with a almost hopeless tone.

Jack loomed around to see who the voice was, it was the women, she was on her knees outside her house, but she was the only one there.

"What do you mean?" Jack said with his hand on his forehead trying to comprehend what had happened.

"Prince Hiroto, you've been asleep for five days now, I've been tending to you to keep you alive. While you were unconscious, the men captured all 25 of them and took them Into the woods, most likely to be executed" She said as she was sitting on the ground, looking for any signs of life from her garden.

Jack looked around and saw nothing but dry soil and shriveled up seedlings, appearing to never be able to grow again. He then looked down at the women, and looked at her faint look in his eyes...

"We must find them, knowing them, they are probably waiting on me to arrive so they can kill me first and then the others. Did you try to go get help?" Jack asked as he looked around for clues to where they must have gone.

"I did, but the people in the town wouldn't listen to me, thought I was crazy or delirious." The women said, then she looked at the village "That's why it's so quiet".

Jack realized the effect his absence had on his people, they are very low on hope because Aku may have drained it from them and we're accustom to living in fear. At first, when he came back to the past, all he thought about was loosing Ashi and his friends from the future. But then, he realized, Ashi **_knew_** she was going to die, but sacrificed her physical self so others could be free, she made the ultimate sacrifice, but it was not in vain, as her hope lives on with the people she gave life to, and it was now Jack's responsibility to give his people the same hope that Ashi gave him.

Jack then helped the women... " I need to give **_my_** people their hope back, and your going to help me" Jack said as his eyes gleamed with hope. The women was confused, but went along with it anyway.

Jack and the women went back into town, people were peaking out their windows and homes to see why Jack was in the middle of the town.

Jack stood up strong and tall and had the women by his side and exclaimed..

"This women here, was given hope by people in this village after her husband died. So it surprised me when I found out that when she needed it the most, that you were not there" Jack paused for a moment as more people came from their houses to listen.

He then held his sword up into the air and continued..

"This sword was given to me by my father, because he had hope in me that I could defeat aku, and I did, but not without sacrificing my wife." Jack paused once more to regain some of his composure, it was still hard for him to talk about.

"Listen to me!, I understand that you are afraid, afraid that if you go out and rescue those twelve people, that you will be enslaved once more live sky had done for you at once point, but if you do the do anything, then my and their sacrifice was all in vain, because you let evils influence control your morals" Jack tooled into the sky, as it reminds him of Ashi.

"My wife once told me this one time when my hope was at its lowest..."

"Hope lives, it's everywhere in the lives that you touch, and the people you have helped, the lives that you saved. When she said that, I knew that I had to keep fighting and defeat aku, so his reign would destroy hope anymore! So I ask you, to stand up against this evil, and not let if effect you future generations any more, do you agree with me?"

The people looked up at Jack with many vibrant smiles and life in their eyes, showing that his words had helped them. Then they all cheered yes and asked him what do they need to do.

Jack pointed to the forest explained to them the new plan on what they need to do. Then, they set out into the forest to find the group and save the group of the twelve people.

 ** _A few hours later_**...

Jack gathered up the men and women who had agreed to rescue the twelve that had been captured, it was about 45 of them, which outnumbered the gang.

Jack instructed them to surround the gangs territory in five groups of nine to make sure they were surrounded and couldn't escape.

"What about our weapons?" One of the men asked.

All the men had were some bo staffs and some lanterns. Jack explained to them that they won't be fighting if the plan goes as well. The plan was to scare the men away making it look like they were hundreds, but if it didn't work, then the bow staffs were for back up to defend themselves.

"Is everyone prepared?" Jack asked his army.

They all yelled yes and moved forward.

Soon, they arrived at the camp, were Jack theory was correct, they were waiting on his arrival to see if he would come and rescue them. There were triple the men there were before, and they were in a circle around a fire with their brown monk robes on.

"He should've been here by now, but if he doesn't, one by one you will be executed!" The leader said as he had a whip in his hand (meaning he had been torturing them).

Jack hear this and was discussed by the things he hear, he could tell they had **really** been followers of aku.

" _What if I'm not about to do this, we are easily outnumbered and there maybe casualties, I'm not sure I can do this"_ Jack though as his head and face was filled with uncertainty as he looked up at the stars in the sky.

" _You can do this Jack, I know you can, we defeated aku, and I know you can do this, be brave for me Jack, do this for those people and me"_ the voice said, but it wasn't Jack's.

Jack though, recognized the voice and smiled a bit as he looked at the sky still

" _Your right, I can do this, thank you Ashi"_ Jack said with a face of hope back apon his face.

He then walked towards the group and town them to get in their groups a d start the fire for their lanterns and bring their weapons. Now all Jack had to do was use himself as bait to get them all together and trap them, the plan was set, everyone was in position.

Jack then walked slowly into the camp, and just as planned, the leader saw him and the other followers camp with him surroundings Jack, but Jack still remains calm with a solemn expression.

"I knew it!, I knew you would come alone you coward!, now prepare to fight or die and the hands of your enemies!" The leader said as he took out his weapon, which was a sicle sword machete. Jack, to the leaders surprise, puts out nothing but a bow staff (his sword is hidden). The men do nothing but laugh at Jack's weapon.

Jack, still with a solemn expression, looks at him...

"You may mock my weapon, but you are not worthy of my blade, not now, and not ever" Jack said as he pulled out his staff.

"Are you ready" Jack said as he got in position.

The leader looks at Jack with a bane of arrogance in his expression...

"Kill him!"

Then the followers all charge toward Jack like a pack of wolves to their prey, but Jack still stands still as ever until...

"NOW!" he exclaimed

The follower looked around and saw the lanterns that surrounded the camps and became afraid, the illusion was working, it looked as if there were thousands of soldiers surrounding them.

"We're surrounded!, we must escape!" Said one follower.

"We can't, they blocked us in!" Another said as his face was filled with fear.

Even the leader is starstruck with fear. They then run around in fear and panic knocking down some of the gates that held the prisoners.

"The prisoners are free lord, what do we do?" Said a follower, who happens to be the same one from the garden.

"Shut it!, just get out of here!" The leader said as he managed to run out into the woods as fast as he could, the other did the same and took off in different directions. Once Jack couldn't hear them anymore, he made the signal that it was all clear and they had won, the men cheered.

They then unlocked the gates and set free the prisoners and they reunited with them, some of them had been their families and friends and we're glad to have them back.

 ** _A few months later..._**

Jack was doing his daily walk throughout the village and saw nothing but hope and cheer in his people, and Jack was proud of it. The tyranny of Aku was gone, and his people got their hope back, all was good in the world for now, but Jack felt a little sad still, Ashi would still be with him in spirit, but it still wouldn't be the same for him.

But then he passed by the garden, but almost barely recognized it. The women now had all her plants replanted and full of new veggatables to eat. And the women herself had a new husband and a child, and the house was all fixed up now.

The women saw Jack pass by and waved at him. Then she got her husband and showed him Jack, and told her about Jack and how he saved her and rescued 25 captured men and women. The husband, with a smile, shook Jack's hand with a warm handshake, Jack shook back.

Then the husband and wife invited Jack inside their home, but Jack declined, as he wanted to check on the rest of the village. They wave goodbye to him once more and walk inside the home with their new child.

It was quiet in the garden now, and Jack was just about to leave. But then he looked at the garden again, but this time, something new was there.

There were some ladybugs siting where all the little seedlings were in the garden. Jack gave a warm smile as one of them landed on his hand, reminding him more of Ashi, but also something else...

Then he felt another embrace behind him that felt like a hug. And sure enough, it was Ashi. Jack and Ashi share a warm embrace and kiss as the wind let out a warm breeze.

 ** _Authors Note..._**

"The lady bug was a symbol of hope apon the garden and over the home. And although there maybe evil and bad after a tragedy, but out of the Ashes, plants new hope into the world, and nothing in this world, could change that, and that was ensured though the hope that someone had gave him, and now could give to others."

 **Well guys/girls, I hope you enjoyed this series as much as I did writing it. This happens to be the last chapter of it, which may sadden some of you, bit I felt this is as far as I could go with it, and you know, I enjoyed it knowing that you all did too.**

 **You can follow the other story I'm doing... " _Samurai Raina : Jack's next generation", where the story continues._**

 **I thank you guys for helping with this story and the feedback it has gotten, but as always, thx for reading, and I hope you guys the best in your work.**

 **"Au revoir, Merci beaucoup" : )**

 **Raybombe3.**


End file.
